Cinnabar moth
Have you found striped yellow and black caterpillars feeding on ragwort? These are the larvae of a cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae), and their striped football jerseys are a danger signal.
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Peacock nest
Last week, just in time for National Insect Week, Ian reported the reserve’s first nest of peacock caterpillars, late but very welcome.
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Jersey tiger
Ian has sent us a picture of a Jersey tiger moth caterpillar with a message:
Continue readingPeacock caterpillars
The peacock caterpillars will be growing fast at this time of year
Continue reading “Peacock caterpillars”Peacock caterpillars
The peacock caterpillars will be growing fast at this time of year.
Continue reading “Peacock caterpillars”Holly Blue
Towards the end of July, a second brood holly blue butterfly (Celastrina argiolus) was spotted in the reserve and photographed by Clive Knight.
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The peacock caterpillars will be growing fast at this time of year
Continue reading “Peacock caterpillars”Messages about moths
Please do send us pictures of the flora and fauna you come across in the park, particularly if you don’t know what it is. We are happy to help with identification. To encourage you, here is our Messenger conversation with Julie about the caterpillars she found and photographed.
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Another new species
On Sunday, Julie Newblé sent us pictures of caterpillars in a tent-web she found strung between blackthorn twigs in the hedge at the top of the Arboretum.
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Three more butterflies for our 2019 list and two more peacock nests; things are finally looking better.
Continue readingTwo peacock nests
A peacock butterfly female lays about 500 eggs under the top leaves of a healthy nettle plant. The eggs hatch out into caterpillars after about two weeks and the caterpillars immediately spin a protective web called a nest around the top of the plant.
Continue reading “Two peacock nests”Late frost
There was a frost on Saturday night.
Continue reading “Late frost”Dot Moth
A dot moth (Melanchra persicariae) caterpillar on a spindle tree, seen and photographed by DKG while the FoSCP volunteers cleared the undergrowth around the young trees at the top of Sheep Field. Spindle is not recorded as one of this caterpillar’s food plants, but sallow is, and hazel, nettles, docks and several other species growing in that plantation and its understorey.
Peacock caterpillars
Ian found and photographed this nest of peacock butterfly caterpillars on Tuesday.
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 